Haim Perlmutter

Rabbi Dr. Haim Perlmutter holds a BA in History from the Open University, a MA in Jewish Education from Touro College, and a PhD in Jewish History. His doctoral thesis was "The middle class in Jewish society in the Land of Israel during the Tanaim period 70-250 AD: hidden but present (2011)". The work was written under the guidance of Prof. Ben-Zion Rosenfeld. He has been teaching at the school for elementary studies in Judaism since 2006.
His main research interests are the society and economy of the Jews in antiquity. In addition, the history of the terms and conditions, Jewish education for generations, and the holidays of Israel during the Second Temple period, the Mishnah and the Talmud. He published a book that is an extension of his doctoral thesis: Social stratification in Jewish society in the Land of Israel during the Mishna period 250-70 (English, Leiden: Brill, 2005). He was a partner in Prof. Rosenfeld's research on usury laws in the Mishnah and Talmud (Leiden: Brill, 2023).
Dr. Haim Perlmutter also investigates the way in which literary works, theaters, and films depict the ancient times and has published articles on this subject. He uses films, videos and film clips in his classes and together with the students analyzes which of the situations in the films are the result of historical archaeological finds, and which are inventions of The writer. He investigates where the additions that the writer or the playwright or the screenwriter added to the book come from.

Research Topics

• Mishnah
• Ancient History
• Early Rabbinic Judaism
• Social History
• Roman Palestine
• Ancient Economy
• Stratification